Project Manager, Humanities and Human Flourishing Project in SAS

University Overview

The University of Pennsylvania, the largest private employer in Philadelphia, is a world-renowned leader in education, research, and innovation. This historic, Ivy League school consistently ranks among the top 10 universities in the annual U.S. News & World Report survey. Penn has 12 highly-regarded schools that provide opportunities for undergraduate, graduate and continuing education, all influenced by Penn’s distinctive interdisciplinary approach to scholarship and learning. As an employer Penn has been ranked nationally on many occasions with the most recent award from Forbes who named Penn one of America’s Best Large Employers in 2023.

Penn offers a unique working environment within the city of Philadelphia. The University is situated on a beautiful urban campus, with easy access to a range of educational, cultural, and recreational activities. With its historical significance and landmarks, lively cultural offerings, and wide variety of atmospheres, Philadelphia is the perfect place to call home for work and play.

The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Project Manager, Humanities and Human Flourishing Project in SAS

Job Profile Title

Research Coordinator

Job Description Summary

The Project Manager, Humanities and Human Flourishing Project, located at the University of Pennsylvania’s Positive Psychology Center, is responsible for overseeing and managing cutting edge research on how engaging in the arts and humanities brings individuals and communities well-being. Working closely with the Project Director and the Director of Research, this position is responsible for maintaining the day-to-day operations of the Humanities and Human Flourishing (HHF) Project. Key duties for this position include maintaining HHF’s annual operating budget, developing grant materials, overseeing website and communication for the project, and assisting the Project Director (Dr. James Pawelski) and Director of Research (Dr. Katherine Cotter) on an as-needed basis. To learn more about HHF’s work, visit our website: www.humanitiesandhumanflourishing.org/.

Job Description

The arts and humanities - collectively referred to as culture - are critical for human flourishing. Religion, philosophy, history, literature, music, art, theatre, film, and similar cultural pursuits play central roles in the education of children, the leisure time of adults, and the cohesion of communities, nations, and society at large. Yet we have little scientific knowledge about the relationship between cultural engagement and individual and collective human flourishing. 

The Positive Humanities is an emerging field bringing together the humanities (including the arts) and the sciences to understand, assess, and advance the role of culture in human flourishing. Foundational conceptual pieces (including conceptual models to support scientific research) have been published, and there is growing international interest in this field.

Having conducted foundational, interdisciplinary research since 2014, the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project seeks to explore the various ways the arts and humanities relate to well-being and are guided by the following research questions:

• In what ways do the arts and humanities support flourishing?

• Do they contribute to well-being in any unique ways in which other endeavors do not?

• Do some forms of engagement in culture support human flourishing more effectively than others?

• Are there ways in which the arts and humanities could be more effective in supporting well-being?

• Are there ways in which they obstruct human flourishing?

• How can we use cultural pursuits to cultivate well-being for individuals, communities, and society at large?

Duties/Job Responsibilities:

• Maintain HHF’s annual operating budget, integrating numerous external gran